M A y 2 0 1 8 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 3
Contents
4 On Point
No More Excuses
Charles H. Cook, MD, FACS, FCCM
8 5 Ways to Standardize
Skin Prepping Practices
Applying preps the same way every time elimi-
nates the variables that increase infection risk.
Brittany Harvey, MSN, MBA, RN, CNOR
15 Are Your Endoscopes Really Clean?
Don't bet on it. A disturbing study shows just
how difficult the devices are to disinfect.
Jim Burger and Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH
23 Patient Warming Stops SSIs Cold
Maintaining normothermia promotes wound
healing and helps reduce infection risks.
E. Patchen Dellinger, MD
30 Scratch Beneath the Surface
Audit the effectiveness of OR cleaning by taking
a big-picture view of the entire process.
JoEllen McBride, PhD | Associate Editor
38 Stop the Spread of MRSA
Nasal decolonization is a
practical way to lower infection risks.
Kendal Gapinski | Contributing Editor
43 A Look Inside Low-Temp Sterilization
6 points to keep in mind about
reprocessing heat-sensitive instruments.
Kevin Anderson, BSN, RN, CSSM, CRCST, CER
48 Make the Switch to
Rigid Sterilization Containers
Do away with blue wrap for reprocessing
high-volume instrument sets.
Shane Ricks, RN, MHS
54 Combat Biofilm
Tips to prevent bacteria's slimy fortress from
forming on your instruments.
Margaret Wasserman, BSN, RN, CNOR
60 Twice the Protection
Double gloving prevents injury and infection, so
why aren't more surgical teams doing it?
Richard Abowitz | Associate Editor
66 Get Reprocessing Right
With Every Tool, Every Time
Q&A with Weston "Hank" Balch, CRCST,
CER, CIS, CHL, instrument care expert
and sterile processing podcaster.
To Our Readers
Every patient who's wheeled into an OR is at risk of being
wheeled out with a surgical site infection. This year's
Manager's Guide to Infection Control is one of the tools you can use to make sure that doesn't happen. The following
pages touch on the best ways to battle back against harmful bacteria, from prepping skin and cleaning surfaces to
warming patients and swabbing noses. We hope you use the advice to further the continuing fight against SSIs.
Cover design by Ethan Anderson | Photo by Pamela Bevelhymer, RN, BSN, CNOR
Infection
Control
M a y 2 0 1 8
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